Not sure if you are or not? You’ll be able to decide in 2 minutes, lets start with a real life story:
Have you heard of Jane Tomlinson?
In 2003 she was awarded the most Inspirational Woman in Britain. In 2000 she was told she just 6 months to live, her diagnosis was breast cancer.
She passed away in 2007, after leaving a massive legacy, and (for me) she’s a perfect example of someone who lived moxie.
Why?
Because of her courage and bravery. I didn’t know her personally, I watched her life unfold from the sidelines. She deserved (IMO) 100% her award, she had guts, sheer determination, passion and offered hope to others, changed (and still does through her appeal) many lives, all while she faced her own adversity.
After diagnosis, going through numerous bouts of chemotherapy plus heart disease she raised £1,850,000 for charity: marathons, triathlons, cycling John O Groats to Lands End, Rome to Home, and make the 6781.8 km ride across America.
If you live in the UK, Europe or the States she passed your way.
That’s moxie, an epic life.
Moxie…
Slang
- the ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage.
- nerve, audacity, pluck and perseverance
- strength of character, determination
- guts, backbone, gumption
I’m in love with it.
Are you living moxie?
I think it’s an incredibly passionate word.
The word itself is, well, moxie!
And the reason it packs such an emotional punch is because (I believe) we have all lived moxie and will continue to do so as long as we’re here.
Including you.
Yes, you.
Don’t look round, it’s you and me here.
Maybe you don’t think you have any ‘moxie-ness’, and well, of course that could be true. Yet, we all have/are/will face our own challenges, and I’ll stick my neck on the line and say I bet you have it.
What life challenges and stories of adversity am I talking about…phew…well, for starters let’s look at my past clients:
Mental ill health, depression, unemployment, addictions, lack of meaningful relationships, lack of confidence, worth, feelings of hopelessness, getting fired, working a job you HATE, losing a business, marrying for the wrong reasons, divorce, unfaithfulness in marriage/relationships, debt, caring for a loved one, being deceived and lied to, dyslexia, homelessness, ill health, differently able, loss and grief, abuse, unable to have children, failing at…, being ‘different’, poverty, coming out, stigma, prejudice, bullying, rape…fill in the blank…
The list is endless. It’s individual.
And if you faced your challenges with courage, for the purpose of this post, you are to me, a living moxie.
Let me prove it to you
There’s a great phrase sweeping personal development, the ‘tinternet and motivational land’ right now, which is ‘be epic’.
I believe it includes being the hero/heroine of your own life.
The periods in your life where you’ve raised your game, with all your strength (when the easiest option was to crawl away) to make it out the other side: stronger, and a better person.
Living moxie is epic in itself
There’s a string of famous people you’ll recognise by name who have lived with courage, guts, determination and overcome their adversity: Helen Keller (born differently abled), Oprah Winfrey (raped as a child), Lance Armstrong (cancer), Micheal J Fox (Parkinson’s Disease), Christopher Reeve (spinal injury), and Stephen Fry (Bipolar).
(I do hate labels, do you?)
Back to you…
What about the people who live either side of you, in your street, in your town?
Those who aren’t listed in the Inc. 500, appeared on daytime TV, or have been awarded the OBE.
The people with stories and personal circumstances come to you via a friend of a friend, maybe even gossip or a family member.
I bet you’ll have plenty of examples of people in your life are living moxie.
Can you think of them now?
Are you able to pin down what they are teaching others?
Moxies teach great lessons…
Many of my own past clients have lived moxie, and still do.
They taught me lessons that aren’t taught elsewhere. They have changed my beliefs, values and shaped me into the person I am today. Yes, my clients did that, the people who I was training, taught me, probably more than they ever realised.
Plus human interest stories. The story that another human being is playing their part in on the other side of the world.
What is it about their story that touches you?
That makes you sit up and take notice.
Makes you connect with them without ever knowing them.
Like their message was meant just for you.
Is it because you can relate?
See, there’s no shortage of people to tell us their woes and troubles.
But there is a huge shortage of people sharing lessons that inspire and stick.
The powerful stories that come into your consciousness when you are facing your own, that make you think ‘if they can do that, so can I’: the stories that teach us how to live moxie.
Choosing to live a moxie life…
It is. Just a choice. A decision you make.
You don’t need to be facing any adversity at the time. You can choose to live moxie constantly.
- It’s choosing to live in this world with courage and letting go of all fears.
- It’s choosing to make decisions, get committed, determined and going all out to make things happen for you.
- It’s choosing personal power, and empowering others.
- It’s choosing to believe in…
- It’s choosing to expose your fears for what they really are, just lies.
- It’s about saying: ‘I’m here, I’m taking part, I am worthy and enough, now’.
- It’s about turning your life around if it needs turned.
- It’s not ‘dreaming’ but being totally awake and making things happen: for you, your life, your family, career, business, whatever is important to you.
- It’s about using your strengths, working on the weaknesses and doing whatever, whatever, it takes.
- And…what do you think?
Do you have it?
Do you want it?
Would living moxie fit with you?
Right now I can offer you this, the moxie clients I have worked with shared common behaviours and traits:
1. It’s was never about them.
They never expected applause or congratulations for what they had faced. They didn’t think their courage and bravery was that important. They made meaning out of their circumstances and they shared it with others.
Living moxie: don’t wait for the approval or ‘permission’ for others. When shrouded in fear it’s courage that will pull you through. Congratulate yourself, it’s not selfish, it’s about you taking back your own power (not power over – the two are very different.)
2. They made what seemed like impossible situations to others inspirational stories.
They all were amazing problem solvers. ‘I’ll find a way through it’ was a common phrase. Not stopped by barriers. Even when doors slammed firmly in their face, they bounced back, quickly. They weren’t their problems.
Living moxie: guts, sheer determination and will power. To make a decision, and stick with it (or change it). No bitterness, no blame: living life to the full.
3. They didn’t know how strong they were until they had to be strong.
Sometimes what they faced was a challenge that others found hard to understand. Sometimes they had to very quickly make massive life changes that were for their own and families personal and emotional safety. Sometimes they had to pull ranks to entire chapters, people and places that were familiar in their life. Letting everything they knew go.
Living moxie: you are so much stronger than you perhaps think you are.
You know it, I know it. It’s about finding it, making that strength that is readily available in challenging situations boot up all time.
Over to You – Have Your Say
What do you think are the qualities, behaviours and attitudes of an individual who is living moxie?
Do you know anyone, what is it about them that makes them a pure moxie? Before you go feel free to fire in any comments you have, or stories below: your share can be another’s lesson. Just sayin’
Until next time…
Photo credit: Puppyintraining.com (there’s a great story attached)
Leave a Reply